The Best Men's Insulated Jacket Review

Warmth
The common sense way to judge which jacket is the warmest is to determine which is the thickest. The thicker and loftier the insulation, the more of your body heat is trapped in around you. However, depending on how you wish to use your jacket, thickest does not always mean best. If you want a warm insulation layer but you are alpine climbing or long-distance hiking where weight really matters, the thin but light MontBell Thermawrap (7.5 oz) is the best. The warmest and thickest jacket in this review was the Patagonia DAS Parka but it is so heavy that it doesn't layer well or work great when your heart rate gets up. The winner on balance of warmth-to-weight was the Arc'Teryx Atom SV, which keeps you toasty but is not overly puffy.

Insulation Type
Not all synthetic insulation is created equal and the type used is something to consider when purchasing a jacket. Primaloft is the most common synthetic insulation. The highest quality (and most pricey) version of Primaloft is Primaloft One, which is more water resistant and has finer fibers than other types of Primaloft. Surprisingly, the least expensive jacket in this review, the Sherpa Vajra, uses Primaloft One. The Patagonia Nano Puff also uses this type of insulation. Primaloft Eco is made of 50 percent recycled materials, which for the environmentally conscious consumer is a great feature. However, it doesn't have the loft or softness of Primaloft One. The North Face Redpoint and the Mountain HardWear Compressor are made with Primaloft Eco. Other manufacturers, rather than use the brand name Primaloft, have developed their own synthetic insulation. The Arc'Teryx jacket uses Coreloft, MontBell uses Exceloft, and the Mountain HardWear Zonal uses an insulation called Thermic Micro, all of which claim to keep you warm even when it gets wet.

Layering Ability/Packing Ability
The opposite factor of warmth is layering and packing ability, where the thinner jackets excel. The thinner jackets fit more easily under shells and pack down smaller. The thickest jacket, the Atom SV, still can fit under a shell and is a good warm layer for cold activities such as riding ski lifts. But for the most part it is more comfortable to wear a thinner jacket like the Nano Puff or the Vajra under a shell. The thinnest, lightest jacket (7.5 oz), which also stuffs into a stuff-sack, is the MontBell Thermawrap. The best jacket to use as a mid-layer is the Mountain HardWear Zonal because it insulates and breathes, similar to a fleece, but is much warmer. It is thin enough to be comfortable under other layers and it does not suffocate or get clammy.

Breathability
Insulated jackets usually aren't very breathable because they are made to keep warmth in rather than let moisture out. Some jackets have features that make them more breathable than others, like the Atom SV, which has Tricot panels under the arms (Tricot is much more breathable than the rest of the lining fabric). The exception in this category is the Mountain HardWear Zonal. Its TechnoStretch panels follow your body's hot spots, allowing you to breathe, while the insulation keeps you warm right where you need it. This jacket makes the best mid-layer or outer layer to wear during an aerobic activity when it's very cold because it is significantly warmer than a fleece but still lets your body breathe. Other thin jackets that make easy mid-layers, such as the MontBell Thermawrap, became clammy and suffocating when hiking in the cold.

Water Resistance
Besides wearing these jackets in snow and wet winter conditions, we sprinkled water on each jacket and noted if the water soaked in or beaded off. All of the manufacturers state that their jackets are treated with some sort of DWR coating to make the jackets water resistant, but the ones that seemed to resist water penetration the best were The North Face Redpoint, the Atom SV, and the Compressor PL.

The advantage to buying a synthetic jacket versus a down jacket is that the insulation itself resists water and even if it does get wet it still retains its loft so you can stay warm. This is true for all of these synthetic jackets. If you are going to be sweating in your insulation layer or be in direct contact with snow or rain, a synthetic layer is much more dependable.

The Bottom Line
Editors' Choice
Spending many a snowy and cold winter day with these jackets, we found ourselves reaching for the Arcteryx Atom SV - Women's most because of its warmth, style, and well thought out features, so this jacket wins the Editors' Choice award. The stretch woven cuffs on this jacket are much tighter and seal out the cold better than any other sleeve cuff with the exception of the Zonal, which can be Velcroed tightly. It also has a hood with a cinchable drawcord so it can fit tightly over your helmet or bare head. The pull cords then tuck under soft flaps so they aren't rubbing against your face. Its main drawbacks are that it is expensive and heavy (16 oz). However, it does not weigh much more than the North Face Redpoint (15.5 oz). The hooded version weighs 17.6 oz, which is more than the Atom SV or the Mountain HardWear Compresor (15 oz) and it is considerably warmer. The Ripstop Nylon from which this jacket is made is light but very abrasion resistant, and the waterproof coating keeps the jacket dry in most types of wintery weather.

Best Buy
The REI Revelcloud - Men's get our Best Buy award because it layers well in just about any temperature and is incredibly functional. Don't be surprised if you stop wearing fleece jackets and reach for this instead. The Montbell UL Thermawrap Jacket - Men's also gets a Best Buy award and is only $6 more expensive (or less if if you find it on sale which is much easier to do than with REI products). We rarely give two Best Buy awards but we felt the two jackets served different purposes. If you you want a jacket to mostly wear around town, get the Revelcloud. We find zippered pockets crucial for everyday use: securely holding your keys, cell phone, and wallet. The Thermawrap does not have zippered pockets, which is fine as long as you are using this mainly for active outdoor activities layered under and over garments with zippered pockets. The Thermawrap is also lighter, more form fitting, and better fits slim folks. If you don't want to shell out the money for a top-of-the-line jacket like the Atom SV, then this is an excellent, functional option for half the price. You will also likely get more use out of the Revelcloud or Thermawrap because they are so light and layerable – they work in just about any temperature.

Best Jackets for Different Applications
Best jacket for high-heart rate activities or the best mid-layer in alpine conditions in place of a fleece: Mountain Hardwear Zonal - Men's.
Best jacket for packing as an extra layer on long days in the mountains: UL Thermawrap Jacket - Men's
Best jacket for clipping on your climbing harness for a long route: Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket - Men's
Best for burly cold temps: Patagonia DAS Parka
Best value for just wearing around town: REI Revelcloud